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Foreign Affairs Committee The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima was first established during the 5th Saeima. The Rules of Procedure of the Saeima set forth that the Foreign Affairs Com- mittee is one of 15 standing commit- tees of the parliament. The Committee has one subcommit- tee – the Baltic Affairs Subcommittee, which is set up during each convoca- tion of the Saeima and which is closely involved with the activities of the Baltic Assembly. Functions The Constitution of the Republic of Latvia and other legal acts set forth the Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee following functions of the Committee: • To review all draft laws pertaining ommendations and suggestions on lateral and multilateral cooperation to foreign affairs, international trea- improving their work of the Saeima, as well as to give ad- ties, signing of international conven- • To cooperate with other sectoral vice on foreign affairs activities of tions and other types of international committees by holding joint meet- the Saeima agreements before forwarding them ings and thus seeking solutions to • To cooperate with counterpart com- for consideration at a plenary sitting topical foreign policy issues and ex- mittees from other parliaments and • To exercise its right of legislative changing information to actively explain Latvia’s foreign initiative as a standing committee • To discuss issues related to the bi- policy abroad • To draft and review statements CHAIRPERSONS OF THE COMMITTEE (declarations) of the Committee and the Saeima regarding impor- Convocation Name Tenure tant international events 5th Saeima Aleksandrs Kiršteins 26.07.1993 - 06.11.1995 • To review and approve candidates Indulis Bērziņš 16.11.1995 - 02.10.1997 6th Saeima for the post of ambassador, as well Andris Rubīns 15.10.1997 - 13.05.1998 as to analyse and assess the work of 7th Saeima Guntars Krasts 12.11.1998 - 04.11.2002 Latvian embassies Inese Vaidere 15.11.2002 - 06.02.2004 • To discuss the national foreign pol- Rihards Pīks 06.02.2004 - 08.03.2004 icy position, to elaborate proposals 8th Saeima Artis Pabriks 18.03.2004 - 11.08.2004 for developing international rela- Aleksandrs Kiršteins 11.08.2004 - 14.06.2005 tions and to supervise their imple- Vaira Paegle 15.06.2005 - 06.11.2006 mentation 9th Saeima Andris Bērziņš 17.11.2006 - 02.11.2010 • To organise regular meetings with 10th Saeima Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš 04.11.2010 - 17.10.2011 line ministers in order to discuss Romualds Ražuks 20.10.2011 - 21.12.2011 matters under their purview per- 11th Saeima Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš 21.12.2011 - 04.11.2014 taining to Latvia’s international th relations, as well as to draw up rec- 12 Saeima Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš since 10.11.2014 Fact Sheet 23 v23.03ENG; 22.04.16. Saeima of the Republic of Latvia • Jēkaba iela 11, Rīga, LV-1811, Latvia • phone: +371 67087321 • www.saeima.lv • e-mail: [email protected] going visits are organised. The schedule of visits is drafted in accordance with the national priorities in foreign policy. A biannual meeting of the foreign af- fairs committees of the parliaments of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, which is hosted by each country on a rotation basis, is organised in order to maintain regular dialogue and exchange opin- ions. The Chairperson of the Committee has the most intensive schedule in order to ensure the fulfilment of the Commit- tee’s functions. The duties of the Chair- person entail regular participation Foreign Affairs Committee in various international events at the level of the Baltic States (B3), the Baltic States and Nordic countries (NB8) and to the date of international (de jure) Foreign Policy the European Union. Debate recognition of the Republic of Latvia. At this sitting, the Minister for Foreign During the 9th Saeima, the Committee Affairs presents his/her report, which INTERESTING FACTS conceived the idea of holding an an- is followed by an open debate; after that • During the 8th Saeima, the Committee nual foreign policy debate in the Saei- only the Minister for Foreign Affairs ma in order to improve parliamentary had five different chairpersons. can take the floor again if he/she so scrutiny over national foreign policy. • Rihards Pīks was the Chairman of the wishes. In order to better prepare the Each year, the debate is scheduled to Committee for the shortest period – foreign policy debate and to stimulate be held as close as possible to the an- only 29 days. public interest, the Committee decided niversary of the de jure recognition of • Three former chairpersons of the to introduce a tradition of organising the state of Latvia on 26 January, and Foreign Affairs Committee – Indulis a discussion with a wide range of for- this timing was jointly agreed upon Bērziņš, Rihards Pīks and Artis Pabriks – eign affairs experts prior to the foreign have subsequently held the position by the Committee and the Ministry of policy debate, thus also giving the non- of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Foreign Affairs. governmental sector an opportunity to • Aleksandrs Kiršteins and Jānis Jurkāns 3 Article 118 of the Rules of Procedure voice its views on foreign policy topics. were members of the Committee dur- of the Saeima states that not later than ing four convocations of the Saeima, The annual foreign policy debate in the by 16 January the Minister for Foreign while Leopolds Ozoliņš was a member Saeima has been held since 2011. Affairs submits to the Saeima the an- during three convocations. nual report on the performance and International • Two former Presidents of Latvia have planned future activities in foreign worked on the Foreign Affairs Com- th policy which contains information on activities mittee – Guntis Ulmanis (10 Saeima) th the performance and planned future Since they are responsible for foreign and Valdis Zatlers (11 Saeima). activities regarding European Union affairs, members of the Committee issues and which has been approved by maintain close relations with parlia- CONTACT INFORMATION the Prime Minister. mentarians of other countries and reg- Address: Jēkaba iela 10/12, The Presidium includes the annual re- ularly attend various international par- Riga, LV-1811, Latvia port of the Minister for Foreign Affairs liamentary meetings and conferences. Phone: +371 67087315 Fax: +371 6708 7350 on the agenda of the regular plenary In order to strengthen bilateral parlia- E-mail: [email protected] sitting scheduled as close as possible mentary relations, incoming and out- Fact Sheet 23 v23.03ENG; 22.04.16. Saeima of the Republic of Latvia • Jēkaba iela 11, Rīga, LV-1811, Latvia • phone: +371 67087321 • www.saeima.lv • e-mail: [email protected].
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